We are in transition. A trying time as the things that have been left behind are still close in heart. I must confess it is difficult for me to not reminisce on all that I had put so much effort into obtaining and is now gone. Realizing it was all a false sense of security makes it no easier. Though our earlier lives had its challenges, it was easy and familiar, it was comfortable, and had a certain degree of dependability. I was certain as long as I continued to work my best, work would continue to come in. I had relationships with people. I miss those relationships very much. There is a void in my life as we need fellowship and community. I am grateful to have a blessed marriage, the source of much comfort during these days. I can speak for Lisa as well when I say that we are truly homesick; we miss our family and friends, our church, our coworkers and bankers. We love you and miss you dearly. It will be so good to see you all again December 2019. Already looking forward to our visit then and to some of your visits next year!
The transition I referred to is that of having a new “job” – Many of us realize that our needs have always been provided by God but when you leave your careers to follow Him, you find yourself truly relying, solely on God to provide along with filling the ability needed to learn a new language. These have been a bit of a challenge for us. We are encouraged and do feel as we are making progress with our language skills, only not as fast as we had been praying for. We are in a new country and we are now the foreigner, the odd man out so to speak, and without the skills to communicate clearly, our relationships are limited. Sure, we could be surrounding ourselves with other missionaries or our other English-speaking friends here, but that would not help our learning of the Spanish language. I feel that things will get better as we move into Casa Del Camino and look forward to building relationships with the boys and with the people of La Moskitia.
I find comfort in the verses in Mark 10:28-31 (HCSB) Peter began to tell Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.” “I assure you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children, or fields because of Me and the gospel, who will not receive 100 times more, now at this time – Houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions – and eternal life in the age to come. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Who? No one! or better yet, everyone who has left anything or anyone, not for their own good but for my sake and for the gospel. Who will not have, how much? One hundred times as much! When? When you get to Heaven, or after you die? No! You will get one hundred times as much NOW! In the present age! And that’s not all, we will have eternal life! We already have joy unspeakable because of our relationship with God. We have the peace, love and joy the world longs for because of His spirit that dwells in us. In God we have complete security, nothing can harm us until we finish the work that He has set before us in this world, and then we will be received by Him with great rejoicing! Knowing all this and I still struggle, caught up in internal turmoil, wondering if the cause is of being in transition? Feeling called but not yet fulfilling the calling? The transition is real and it is tough. I believe what I believe, and yet my mind still plays tricks on me, getting me to second guess all that’s going on. I reckon that’s why it is so very important to stay in the Word, keeping God’s promises fresh in our minds able to call them out in the time of need.
Keeping this BLOG has also been a good reminder of how God has been faithful in His word all throughout this ministry, so that we can look back and see how He has answered prayers and met our needs helping us to live expectantly in His word. I wonder how much more joyous life can and will be by, living the life He has called us to live? But yet we are still in transition. I think that is what He is telling us in these verses – is not to let our possessions be master over us. Our safety, relationships, possessions, worldly success, trials and troubles there will be, but that it is all for our good and His glory. God is always good and God is always wise. I am a work in progress, still working out some internal things, and the whole idea “first will be last and last first” is one of them. I love being first and hate being last, competitive maybe to a fault?
I know that it is only through God that any of this is being accomplished, still I can’t help but continually think about what needs to be done next; spinning my wheels over the details trying to figure out how all this is going to happen. I would like to clarify, I do not believe the verses in Mark mean, that if I gave up two Cadillacs He will supply me with 200 more, or that by walking away from good paying jobs we will be supplied with even better paying jobs – I believe the things He does and will supply us with are to be so meaningful and magnificent to us, according to His riches in glory! That we will experience the “less is more” effect. That the happiness we felt from the hoards of belongings we were allowed to have earlier, will pale in comparison to how He will supply for us now and the joy we will experience in the days to come.
It is much easier to communicate these thoughts than to actually live them out without being anxious or worried about where the next crews’ payroll will come. Even though a lot of the heavy lifting may be done, there is much more to be completed. It has become very clear to me that, no longer can I rest in any way of my own doings as I am fully reliant on God’s provision. In doing so, I’m telling you, I feel as if He is treating me to a slice of pie. I love pie, just not sure about the flavor of humble pie.
Prayer requests are that we be gifted with the ability to learn and speak the Spanish and also Miskito language; to be honest with Jesus and aware of our shortcomings, trusting in and resting in Him fully; to have a great awareness of God’s power, majesty and mercy; to continue to grow and strengthen our knowledge of God’s Word and that we can respond generously to the needs we are made aware of around us. Lisa and I give all praise and glory to our Heavenly Father for all of you in our lives, and pray that you may clearly see Him at work in your daily lives.
Please feel free to comment as we are encouraged by your words and get a certain amount of reassurance knowing that I am communicating clearly about our struggles and praises.
Wisdom From Oswald Chambers
The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else. “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord”…
A few pictures of people we have met. Getting used to seeing the difference in first world and third world lifestyles, and La Cieba is a world apart from where we will be ministering in Puerto Lempira, with much less infrastructure. Please join us in praying for the Honduranian people, most who are living on less than $10 per day with the price of gas over a $1 per Liter = $3.90 per gallon of regular gas just to help put it all in perspective.
Fruit Stand
Our Favorite Swimming Hole… Muy Fresco!
chosen2followHim 